Reception and Treatment of Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste has the potential to cause harm to nature and humans and must therefore be collected, treated, and stored safely. NOAH is one of Europe’s leading companies in the safe handling of these fractions. For over 30 years, NOAH has specialized in stabilizing industrial residual fractions and using them to fill quarries.
Previously, hazardous waste was called special waste. a distinction is made between organic and inorganic hazardous waste. NOAH deals with the inorganic fractions, which cannot be burned or biologically broken down. Examples of inorganic hazardous waste include fly ash from incineration plants, heavily contaminated soil, acids, waste from aluminum production, contaminated demolition concrete, and other industrial waste.
From production and incineration
In a product’s lifecycle, such residual fractions can arise in two ways:
- As a byproduct from the production of a product, such as heavy metals from the production of glass or aluminum.
- By incinerating residual waste containing heavy metals such as batteries and light bulbs.
Best Available Technology
Before the 1990s, these substances were released into the environment, leading, among other things, to acid rain and fish death. From 1993 onwards, residual fractions have been collected and sent to NOAH, among others. We have developed technology that the EU considers to be the best available technology currently for stabilizing waste fractions.
Stable and Safe
Basic fly ash and acidic sulfuric acid are chemically stabilized in gypsum, preventing the release of heavy metals. By comparison, the heavy metals in your mobile phone are harmless as long as they remain stable in the product. NOAH’s gypsum has the same stabilizing properties, making it well suited as filling material to rehabilitate the quarries on Langøya outside Holmestrand.
Increasing quantities
As a result of increased production and also increased knowledge about the chemical substances we surround ourselves with, the amount of hazardous waste that needs to be handled is increasing. This means that more of what is produced by heavy metals is captured and treated. At the same time, it places demands on NOAH and Norway’s environmental authorities to provide enough storage capacity for the future. NOAH wants to contribute its expertise and experience to solving this challenge.